Dolphins fire back at Jonathan Martin, defend Richie Incognito
Jonathan Martin left the Dolphins last week to reportedly seek mental counseling. (Joel Auerbach/Getty Images)
Three days after Richie Incognito was suspended indefinitely, a number of his Miami Dolphins teammates came to his defense to, as defensive lineman Randy Starkstold the Palm Beach Post's Andrew Abramson, "clear Richie's name."
Incognito has been at the center of a firestorm surrounding his relationship with fellow Miami lineman Jonathan Martin. Martin left the Dolphins last week, reportedly to seek out mental counseling. The Dolphins then launched an investigation into alleged bullying that Martin claimed he had been subjected to by Incognito.
Martin turned over to the Dolphins and the NFL a series of voicemails and texts sent to him by Incognito, which included racial remarks and threats.
Several Dolphins said Wednesday that Martin has taken all of those comments out of context, with multiple players questioning Martin's motives in the situation.
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The following tweets come from the New York Post's Bart Hubbuch, the Miami Herald's Adam Beasley and the Palm Beach Post's Andrew Abramson, all of whom were present for the team's media availability on Wednesday:
Dolphins coach Joe Philbin said on Monday that he requested and was granted a meeting with Martin last week, after Martin left the team's facility. "As the weekend unfolded, early on Sunday, as you well know, as an organization we released a statement that was 100 percent factual," said Philbin, referencing the team's statement that maintained no charges of bullying had been made within the organization. "Soon thereafter, we were contacted by representatives of Jonathan, and before I say that I should let you know that in all my discussions with Jonathan and members of his family, at no time were there any accusations or allegations of misconduct by any members of this team or organization.
"Later on Sunday, we were contacted by one of his representatives where they in fact had some concerns over player conduct that had occurred. We immediately took those concerns very, very seriously."
At that time, the Dolphins announced that Incognito would be suspended while the team and league investigated Martin's allegations. Thus far, there has been no indication as to when that investigation may conclude.
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